The terms “Metadata” and “Essence” are defined as following: Metadata are data consisting of essence and of one-or-more links. In the semantic sense, these links describe a link between the essence and other content and can be of different kinds (e.g. an HTML-Link).
Essence consists of any data. These data can contain none, one, or more metadata (e.g. the essence of metadata can contain other metadata; also essence can consist of data, which do not contain any metadata).
Increased capacities for DVD and DVR-discs will provide the storage of much more movies on one disc than it is possible today. Broadcast-systems like DVB do not only transmit pure essence, but also descriptions about that essence, the so called metadata. This metadata contains all kind of content-information and allows the navigation through the essence.
VPS is a well-known invention for starting and stopping an analog video-recorder at a certain time. This information is being sent by the broadcaster of analog TV-systems in the Vertical Blanking Intervall (VBI). This principle is not supported by the DVB standard, because the performance of timer controlled recording was planned by EPG mechanisms.
Prior art only deals with the principles of DVB-related recording media. EP-A-1 103 974 describes a method and an apparatus for recording and reproduction, whereas the principles of starting and stopping a DVB-recorder are not taught.